Just Another Transformation
by Kuurankukka
Summary: Ratchet is devastated after the loss of Optimus… but is it truly the end? Implied Optimus Prime/Ratchet, implied mech preg, implied reincarnation, one-shot.


It wasn't until the colorful shower of newsparks erupted from the well when the realization hit him full-on. While the sparks flew by, the beauty of it all went barely noticed; as the last words of the person whose ultimate sacrifice had enabled it all echoed from the depths of his mind.

This, the noblest of all mechs he'd ever known, whose mere presence had once been enough to convince him it was all going to be alright in the end; whose voice had held more wisdom, compassion and authority he'd ever come across in a mortal mech. The one who had held a special, a very special place in his spark, was now gone - leaving him alone and empty in the ruins of their homeworld. Slowly, but steadily an utter sense of purposelessness settled in - the war won and the seeping of new life near meaningless next to his loss.

He hadn't even realized he'd fallen on his knees when he felt a light touch on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I know what you're going through." the feminine voice whispered. "But it had to be done. There was no other way."

He nodded, and stood up drying his tears of lubricant that had appeared on his cheeks. He left out a short, bereft snort.

"Just like Optimus to pull off a stunt like that for the greater good; never mind what happened…" he sighed, but then paused all of a sudden, casting his gaze sharply towards the slowly dimming shower of newsparks. The amazed gaping and quiet chatter of the others around him slowly disappeared as his optics locked on the sight.

Ultra Magnus took notice that it seemed as if the medic was expecting for something to happen. One by one the others shared this notion as the slowly decreasing stream no longer caught their immediate attention.

Ratchet's optics were fixated towards the well. He had tensed up, his expression something in between close to impatient anticipation, and despair. As the stream finally died out, the commander almost called it a night to have a word with their sparkbroken doctor, until a sudden excited yelp interrupted his thoughts.

"Yes, yes!" Ratchet yelled, and suddenly stormed forward for a few mechanometers, and stopped, his gaze still sharp in the well's direction. The others hurried closer to see what had caught the medic's optics, until they all realized what it was: A single newspark, shyly flying around, but inching up in their - particularly Ratchet's - direction. Said bot was cooing to it in a way none of the others present had witnessed before.

"That's it… That's it… Come on, little one! Come on!" he whispered, though everyone could hear him perfectly, trying to coax the awkward little spark in his direction. Ultra Magnus had no idea what the medic was doing, until Ratchet suddenly opened his abdominal plates, revealing a hollow chamber.

"That's it, little one, come on!" he pleaded. "I have a nice and cozy gestational chamber right here, waiting for you!"

Suddenly everyone had their optics glued on the scene, not even blinking as they carefully monitored each movement the little spark made. Not a single gush of air from a ventilation system was heard.

The little spark drifted around on one spot, as if contemplating, but then inched closer.

"That's it, come to Papa! Yes, that's right! I'm gonna be your Papa, and I'll take a good care of you!" Ratchet called out to the softly glimmering spark.

The excitement in the atmosphere was electrifying as none of the spectators moved a fraction of an inch while the newspark, apparently now made up its mind, carefully approached its goal.

"That's it… That's it…" Ratchet whispered, letting out a borderline orgasmic sigh of relief as the flickering newspark finally settled in its new home. And before anyone knew it, a sharp click was heard as the new carrier hurriedly closed up the hatchery inside his abdomen, tears of joy and a sense of newfound fulfillment emerging on his faceplate, as new protocols to sustain the new life growing within him onlined one by one.

"Thank you!" he whispered, quietly. "Thank you, Optimus!"

But the others didn't hear him, as each and every one had begun to cheer and congratulate the progenitor-to-be. Wheeljack patted him heavily on the shoulder as Bumblebee and Arcee gave him a hug, the others settling for offering their compliments from more afar. Ultra Magnus chose then to step forward:

"I think I'm speaking for everybody here by saying we are all most happy for you. It is the most blessed of occurrences for a newspark to choose their carrier like that. I knew many a pair before the war who wished for one only to never having any - and now one has chosen, and an unbonded mech, no less! Let us rejoice and be honored of witnessing this blessed and most rare moment!" he finished, and everybody cheered.

Ratchet could hardly talk out of his tears. "I… know. Thank you! I could hardly believe it when I felt it… I felt it calling for me. It was… It was as if this one had my name written on it!" and almost everyone "awed" at hearing it.

After a few moments of everyone sharing their amazement, Smokescreen pondered something aloud:

"It's been quite the day. But one thing bugs me a little." Everyone turned their helms towards him, curious. "How are we going to explain this to the humans?"

AN: a little one-shot for you all! I hope you liked it! ^^


End file.
